05/05/2012

Making "Merry Merry" easier...

I was working on my Merry Merry Snowmen - block three, yesterday and I got to thinking about the "stuff" I use to make construction easier. You know these, they're the notions that one accumulates after quilting and crafting for a hundred ... errrr ... LOTS of years. So here's a little run-down of a couple of things that make my "Snowman" life easier...

How 'bout a big pressing board???

Can you tell mine has been verrry loved?? The Merry Merry Snowman blocks are BIG and don't fit well on a regular ironing board, so this Quilter's Square by June Tailor really lets me lay out the whole block while I'm pressing. They're a little pricey at around $40.00, but trust me, you'll use it again and again.

Another tool I use a lot when making this block of the month is the Applique Pressing Sheet.

This wonderful notion allows you to see your pattern through the sheet to use as a placement guide while you fuse your overlapping design together into one unit - BEFORE you fuse it onto your backing. See my pattern underneath the pressing sheet???

Sooo... you just press your fusible web backed pieces of fabric on top of the non-stick applique pressing cloth; following the outline of the pattern -much like matching pieces of a puzzle together. After all the pattern pieces are in place and anchored with heat to the cloth, you peel the entire design from the cloth and fuse it to the background fabric. Pretty slick, huh? And it's inexpensive, at around $16.00.

Oh, and on a side note, if you wanted to use Cosmos thread to stitch the embroidery on Merry Merry - remember we've got it now at the West Center Store!! Give it a try... you're gonna love it!!